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by kismet-wayfinder
Summary: "Even if Death doesn't necessarily understand how or why these beings can feel his breath and avoid his scythe the first time, he does understand that he will eventually take them." An introspective look at Death, and the hand he plays in fate. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer: I don't own the franchise, or any franchise, I just write stories.  
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><p>Death is a clever entity. Wit and near-omniscience are two of the cards in his playing hand at all times, and since he doesn't have a heart to speak of, he also lacks certain things at all times, as well. Empathy, compassion, love, life itself - all these things are foreign to the hooded reaper - and yet, he can be most often found dwelling amongst those who can and do feel all of the above. He is most found amongst the living, watching as the clocks above their heads tick down, raising his scythe in their direction to strike the second that God releases them from their contract with Earth, letting them fall freely into the waiting depths of demise. Knowing no wrong, Death cannot be blamed or punished for reaping the expired, and so, he continues to do it, as he has been doing it, forever. There is no escape for any mortal. Not for long, certainly not forever.<p>

As Cassie Bell soaks into her bath water this evening, her thoughts are not about Death, however. They are comprised of many other things: the upcoming prom, the next day's Algebra exam, the next night's date with her boyfriend, Tyler, a phone call later to her friend, Helen. She was also a bit preoccupied with the screaming match the neighbors in the apartment next door were having. She wanted them to shut up, too, and these things were what clouded her mind as she slipped down deeper into the suds and bubbles, a nearby CD player blasting her favorite music and trying to drown out the neighbors as she closed her eyes, relaxing.

Sinking even further down, until the water completely submerges her, Cassie is unaware of the fact that the neighbor's fight next door is escalating. One of the neighbors pushing the other into the wall, the boom and shake that comes with it bumps the CD player, edging it nearer to the side of the toilet tank, where it's been sat for the past several minutes. Another throw into the wall, and the radio falls off altogether, hitting the wall, before falling right into the water, still plugged in as it goes…

Crying out as she sits bolt upright in the water, Cassie, panic-stricken, gives a bit of a jump as one of the next door neighbors is thrown into the wall, the force of it edging her CD player closer to the side of the toilet tank. Moving quickly, she scuttles herself out from the water, grabbing her towel and reaching for the CD player just in time as it falls from the toilet tank. Giving a sigh of relief, she places it, still wrapped in the towel, onto the nearby towel shelf, the plug becoming unplugged from the socket as she does so.

Now, as the thought of how she could have died still caused her heart to race, her mind to clutter with all new, morbid subjects, Cassie takes a step back, away from the tub and toilet and towel shelf. Feeling scared and shaken, she murmurs a prayer to God, to thank Him for letting her know to leave the water, through that dream she had had. Or at least, she considered it to be a dream - what she had seen, how she had seen it. It had been a miracle, and even if she still felt freaked out about the premonition she'd had, she was also grateful for it.

Speaking again of Death: from time to time, he does come across those few humans who are fated to be more in-tuned to the other side of things than others normally are. While most blindly go about, either unaware or not caring about the invisible time ticking above above their heads, some - very few and far between - are able to hear Death, even as he breathes on the backs of their necks, raising his scythe ever so slowly. When they feel this, a chill goes down their spine, and their mind clues them in on to what their body already somehow knows: it's almost the end of the line.

And so, just to keep it interesting, perhaps, these mortals manage to to breathe a few more stolen breaths their ownselves, able to live on for seconds, moments, days, maybe even months or years past the time that has already run out above them. However, they need not be fooled.

When dealing with Death, it is better to err on the side of caution. It is, quite possibly, most important of all for the mortal to realize that, as was said, they are freed of their contractual sentence on Earth the second that that ticking clock runs out overhead. Just because they're not taken at that second, doesn't mean they're invincible, or a god, or more special than the next person. They're just as vunerable, just as ripe and ready to be reaped as the others who have run out of time. Even if Death doesn't necessarily understand how or why these beings can feel his breath and avoid his scythe the first time, he does understand that he will eventually take them. It is inescapable.

Finally calming down somewhat, Cassie has turned to face her foggy reflection in the mirror, outstretching a hand to wipe away the fogginess from the glass. She looks normal, appears fine. She should probably go ahead and get dressed, and get the hell out from here, so she can lie down, call Helen, and relax for real this time.

Reaching for her robe that is hung behind her, the brunette girl with blue eyes slips it on, before looking at her reflection again. Still all normal, still perfectly fine. Looking away, she notices a good deal of water on the floor, water that had splashed out when she'd hurriedly left the tub before. Not wanting to slip on it, she decides to clean it up. She'll soak it up with a towel before she tries to release the stopper from the tub's drain.

Stepping over to the towel rack, she tugs one of them down, before bending over to toss it over the water, moving it back and forth with her hand to mop it up. Realizing then that it's more water than she'd realized, she kneels down completely, still swishing the towel back and forth against the floor, soaking the towel further. Reaching over, nearer to the side of the toilet, she keeps her head face down, watching the towel take in more and more water. She decides that she might need a second towel to actually get it all.

Partially standing up, she just reaches an arm upward for a towel when one of the neighbors hits the wall again. "Jeez, can you guys knock it off?" Cassie calls out, beating back at the wall with her fist; in return, another loud boom strikes the wall.

The shelf jarring loose and tilting, Cassie barely has time to glance up before the CD player has struck her, hard, right in the face. Knocking her unconscious, she falls sideways, over and into the tub. Still full of water, her body slowly slides, head first, lower and lower beneath the water, until she is fully submerged, unable to wake up and realize it anytime soon enough.

Standing over the tub, though not visible to the naked eye - present to one's spirit, perhaps - Death raises his scythe over his head, aiming it perfectly, before deciding to strike. Game, set, match. No escape.


End file.
